How long have you been playing Daniel?

I have been playing bass for just under a year and guitar for about two years.

How did you get started?

I decided to start bass before I moved to Cape Town (from Namibia) simply because I knew that there is always a shortage of bassists and I realised that by starting bass I would soon find an established band to play in!

Do you come from a musical family?

Yes, my older brother (26) is very musical, he plays guitar, bass and keyboard and has begun composing and recording his own stuff. My father is also very musical, he was once a famous classical guitarist in South Africa (Steven Sher) and played with musicians such as Ralph Towner, Jaco Pastorius (amazing bassist!), John Williams and Denny Lallouette

Were you born in Namibia (or South West Africa, as it used to be known)?

I was actually born here in South Africa but I moved to Italy when I was two and then to Namibia. I am now settled in Cape Town were I hope to finish school and university.

What’s your favourite band / solo artist?

I find Steve Harris from Iron Maiden inspirational as well as Flea from Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

That’s interesting – to me, those two guy’s playing styles are like chalk and cheese. I used to rehearse in the same studio as Steve and love his galloping style but I can’t say I’ve ever seen him slap.

Yeah they definitely are like chalk and cheese! I love Steve’s flowing style, the way he moves across the neck hitting the perfect notes each time, but I also really love Flea’s funky slap bass sound. I suppose I would like to be able to mix the two styles up as smoothly as possible.

What are the amps and instruments you currently use?

I play a red Cort Fender-Jazz-bass copy and a nice old Peavey 80 watt amp.

What instruments would you like to have if money were no object?

I would love to get my hands on a Warwick Corvette Hot Rod 4 string and the Hartke HA3500 base amp head, 300 watts!

It’s quite amazing how many of us have Peavy amps but given a choice, most of us would opt for EBS, Ashdown, Hartke and all the other modern amps that are just so far out of our price range!!! It’s also amazing how many bassists (like me) have Corts and Warwicks or have a Cort and want a Warwick – I never seem to interview guys that want Alembics or Spectors!!!!!

Yes, about the amps I suppose that which we can’t have is that which we desire most! Well now that you mention it, I definitely wouldn’t mind an Alembic! The reason I chose a Warwick is due to the fact that one day I came across one of these and I played it. It felt amazing. I knew from that moment that the Warwick Corvette was for me.

Will you be considering going fretless or multi-stringed in the future?

I may definitely consider doing this one day when I begin to feel that a simple 21 fret, four string bass is limiting my playing ability. But first I would like to have much more control over my fretboard.

What have you been doing for the last five years or so?

Well I’ve been spending the past five years getting through school, experimenting with musical instruments and trying to grow taller than my bass!

What recordings that you’ve played on would you recommend for listening?

I would recommend the recording that I am currently doing with Appleshine, our album should be out before the end of October.

Can you tell us a little bit about Appleshine?

Appleshine is a Cape Town based band. We play a very original style which must be heard to be understood, but our style is a sort of mixture of Indy and Grunge with Punk and Metal influences.

Have you visited www.bassplayers.co.za yet?

Yes I have, I love what you have done with the site!

What’s been the low point in your career so far?

Well a low point would have been whilst I was living in Namibia, I stayed in a very small City and there were very few musicians and opportunities to form bands.

And what has been the high point of your career?

The high point of my career (which is just beginning!) Would be moving down to South Africa and joining Appleshine.

What do you get up to when you haven’t got a bass strapped on?

Well, as I’m sure you can understand, music takes up most of my time, but when I am not playing on my bass or guitar, I spend my time skateboarding and surfing.

What are your goals currently?

My current goals are to become as skilled as I possibly can when it comes to the bass guitar and gain experience playing with better and better musicians until I am able to make a living out of making music!

Thanks for the interview Daniel, best wishes to you and Appleshine.